An easy and moist Banana Bread Recipe that is loaded with bananas, tangy-sweet raisins, and toasted walnuts. This is one of our favorite overripe banana recipes with hundreds of 5-star reviews.

Banana Bread on a cutting board with walnuts, raisins and ripe bananas to make healthy banana bread

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Banana Nut Bread Recipe:

This is my husband’s recipe which he has perfected over the years and he is known for his Banana Bread. He makes it frequently and it always disappears fast! It is simple to make and our favorite way to use up overripe bananas so they never go to waste. It’s super moist and makes a great breakfast on-the-go. We even created Banana Muffins from this recipe.

This loaf stays moist for days and also makes for a thoughtful and delicious gift idea for the holidays (I’ll take banana bread over fruit cake any day).

Banana Bread Video Tutorial:

Watch Natasha make this moist banana bread. You will be surprised at how easy it is. We will never stop loving this recipe. Now go forth and bake!

Ingredients for Banana Bread:

This is everything you need to make the best banana bread: flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, vanilla extract, softened butter, eggs and of course very ripe bananas. Adding walnuts and raisins is optional but adds great taste and texture, turning it into a banana nut bread.

Can I Omit Walnuts and Raisins?

YES! The recipe will still work if raisins and walnuts are omitted. We make it nut-free all the time due to a walnut allergy in the family. You will still have the softest, super moist and scrumptious loaf. You can also replace them with some chocolate to make Chocolate Chip Banana Bread.

Ingredients for Banana Bread with ripe bananas, flour, sugar, eggs, butter, walnuts and raisins

How to Ripen Bananas:

  • Quick Oven Method: If your bananas are a little green and you want them to ripen quicker, place them on a baking sheet and bake at 250˚F for 15 to 20 minutes depending on the initial ripeness of the bananas.
  • 24 Hour Counter Method: If you are willing to wait 1 day, you can place the bunch of bananas (without separating them) in a paper bag, cover and leave at room temperature. Bananas emit ethylene which causes ripening. Adding an apple to the bag will speed up the process.

Can I Freeze Overripe Bananas?

If you have overripe bananas and aren’t ready to bake with them, DO NOT throw them away!

How to Freeze Bananas: place them un-peeled in a freezer-safe bag, remove any excess air and freeze up to 3 months. You can use thawed bananas for banana bread. You can also freeze them peeled and cut into pieces for easier use in smoothies. P.S. You can also freeze a whole banana bread with the same method!

Slices of banana nut bread on a plate

How to Make Banana Bread:

This is the easiest banana bread recipe. We mix it in a stand mixer because it’s easy, but you can use an electric hand mixer and can even make it work with a hand whisk. There is no fancy equipment required. Watch the video tutorial below and you will be a pro in no time!

  1. In the mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar.
  2. Mix in mashed bananas and eggs.
  3. Whisk together dry ingredients: flour, salt, and baking soda and add to batter.
  4. Stir in vanilla, walnuts, and raisins, transfer to prepared loaf pan and bake.

Substitutions for a Healthy Banana Bread:

  • My sister Anna made this into a honey banana bread; replacing sugar with honey.
  • Use organic whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour.
  • Replace 1 Tbsp of flour with 1 Tbsp ground flaxseed.
  • Reduce sugar to 1/2 cup when using very ripe bananas; they add plenty of sweetness

Moist banana bread recipe sliced to show banana nut bread center

Love Sweet Breads? Try these Popular Bread Recipes:

We love sweetbreads because they are easy to make and are such a treat, especially when you top them with Honey Butter! Don’t miss these reader favorites:

Moist Banana Bread Recipe

4.97 from 6172 votes
Banana bread sliced on a cutting board
This Banana Bread Recipe is loaded with ripe bananas, tangy-sweet raisins, and toasted walnuts. It is one of our favorite ripe banana recipes and even better with overripe bananas.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients 

Servings: 10 people

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a bread loaf pan (9.25 long x 5.25 wide x 2.75 deep). Lightly roast walnuts on a skillet, continuously stirring so they won’t burn. Coarsely chop and cool to room temperature. 
  • In a mixing bowl, cream together 8 Tbsp softened butter and 3/4 cup sugar (or honey if using honey).
  • Mash bananas with a fork until the consistency of chunky applesauce and add them to the batter along with 2 eggs, mixing until blended. 
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together: 1 1/2 cups of flour, 1 tsp of baking soda and 1/2 tsp of salt then add to batter.
  • Add 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract and mix in chopped walnuts and raisins. Pour into prepared loaf pan. Bake at 350˚F for 55-60 min or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let banana bread rest for 10 min before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

Nutrition Per Serving

350kcal Calories45g Carbs5g Protein18g Fat7g Saturated Fat57mg Cholesterol243mg Sodium270mg Potassium3g Fiber20g Sugar354IU Vitamin A4mg Vitamin C26mg Calcium2mg Iron
Nutrition Facts
Moist Banana Bread Recipe
Amount per Serving
Calories
350
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
18
g
28
%
Saturated Fat
 
7
g
44
%
Cholesterol
 
57
mg
19
%
Sodium
 
243
mg
11
%
Potassium
 
270
mg
8
%
Carbohydrates
 
45
g
15
%
Fiber
 
3
g
13
%
Sugar
 
20
g
22
%
Protein
 
5
g
10
%
Vitamin A
 
354
IU
7
%
Vitamin C
 
4
mg
5
%
Calcium
 
26
mg
3
%
Iron
 
2
mg
11
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Breakfast, snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: banana bread, banana nut bread
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: $
Calories: 350
Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook

If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen

This banana bread recipe was first published in 2009; one of the very first recipes on our blog! It has been a reader and family favorite ever since.

Moist banana nut bread on kitchen towel

This Banana Bread Recipe is loaded with ripe bananas, tangy sweet raisins and toasted walnuts making it a banana nut bread. One of our favorite ripe banana recipes and even better with overripe bananas! This banana nut bread is super moist, easy and makes a great breakfast on-the-go. | natashaskitchen.com
4.97 from 6172 votes (4,175 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




Comments

  • Susan
    April 28, 2021

    Hi Natasha
    Can I ask please Banana bread looks lovely just going to make it can you confirm your oven setting of 180 is that fan assist
    Thankyou

    Reply

    • Natasha
      April 29, 2021

      Hi Susan, we use a conventional electric oven. If using a convection oven, you will need to make some adjustments.

      Reply

    • Lisa Stepanski
      May 5, 2021

      I cooked in my convection oven at 325° for 55 min… (fan off)
      It came out perfect

      Reply

    • m
      May 7, 2021

      This might help. Hopefully 🙂

      https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/conversion-guides

      Reply

  • Ludwina
    April 24, 2021

    Super yummy I love ur banana bread recipe

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      April 24, 2021

      I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!

      Reply

  • Karen Barr
    April 22, 2021

    Have you ever heard of a glaze you can make to put on bread ? Know a Lady that does but her recipe is private.

    Reply

  • Mariya
    April 21, 2021

    Hello, I am a fan and today I am inclined to leave a comment. I made this recipe today and turned out highly moist and delicious. I altered some ingredients based on what I had on hand, namely swapped out raisins w dried cranberries, walnut with pecan and lastly brown sugar instead of honey or granulated white sugar. It turned out better than expected! Please don’t stop sharing your recipes and teachniques!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      April 21, 2021

      Thank you for this thoughtful review, Mariya! I’m so happy you enjoyed that.

      Reply

  • Danka
    April 21, 2021

    The best banana bread recipe I tried. Since finding it, I do not even look for other. I typically add dry cherries and raisins.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      April 21, 2021

      That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Danka!

      Reply

  • Erna
    April 20, 2021

    Banana bread perfection!! Thank you Natasha!!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      April 20, 2021

      You’re Welcome, Erna! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply

      • Fern. Moise
        April 24, 2021

        This recipe was so easy to follow and it is just wonderful, I watch you on facebook and love your recipes, it’s basically everything you have in the pantry. Keep on tapping.
        Fern.

        Reply

        • Natashas Kitchen
          April 24, 2021

          You’re so nice! Thank you! I’m glad you’re enjoying my videos.

          Reply

  • Jeremiah
    April 20, 2021

    I tried to make the banana bread but it came out too solid. It was not aerie . Don’t know what went wrong.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      April 20, 2021

      Hi Jeremiah, the bread will get denser with too much moisture. I would recommend reading our post on measuring to be sure everything was measured appropriately.

      Reply

  • Rebecca L Farmer
    April 18, 2021

    I haven’t tried to make it yet but I have bananas ready to use. If I may make a suggestion on add in’s our family used nuts and mersino cherries in our banana bread. I even use the juice in place of half of the milk. You can poke the whole cherry in to the batter after putting it in the pan or chop then and mix them into to the batter alongwiththenuts. Hope you try it. It makes it so good. Enjoy 😉

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      April 19, 2021

      Thanks for your comments and suggestions, Rebecca. We appreciate it!

      Reply

  • Carmela R Sanchez
    April 18, 2021

    Why use unsalted butter if adding salt?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      April 18, 2021

      Hi Carmela, we always use unsalted butter especially in baking so we can control the amount of salt in the recipe. If using salted butter you would use less or no salt depending on how much salt is in your butter.

      Reply

  • Capt. Dave Williams
    April 17, 2021

    This is the fourth batch I’ve made for my tug boat crew and its been perfect every time. Have used brown sugar instead of white and cranberries instead of raisins. Seems like a very flexible base recipe that you can play around with a lot. One of my loaves today is made with almond flour…we’ll see how that works…Thanks

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      April 17, 2021

      That’s so great! I’m so glad you all enjoyed it!

      Reply

  • Jason
    April 15, 2021

    I added figs instead of raisins! Love your recipe!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      April 16, 2021

      Thanks for your good feedback, Jason. Glad you loved it!

      Reply

  • Clarissa
    April 13, 2021

    Great recipe, taste amazing. My family favorite banana bread. Thanks.

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      April 13, 2021

      Thank you so much, Clarissa!

      Reply

  • Jim
    April 12, 2021

    Great recipe, We loved it.
    One question though, why didn’t you use baking powder, only baking soda?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      April 12, 2021

      Hi Jim, we have always used that, but if you choose to substitute, you can, but note if it has baking soda, baking soda is 4 times stronger than baking powder.

      Reply

  • Ginger Culver
    April 12, 2021

    Natasha’s, I found this Banana Bread recipe with roasted walnuts very delicious and very moist too! My friends 💘 it.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      April 12, 2021

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Ginger!

      Reply

  • lj
    April 9, 2021

    hi natasha!!!
    i tried this recipe, and taste was superb, but mine didn’t rise, any idea why?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      April 9, 2021

      Hi, could you possibly be using a different size or shape pan? Also, you might check that your oven is reaching the correct temperature and make sure to put it in the oven after the oven is fully preheated. If it didn’t rise much, it could be the leavening that is expired. If leavening expires, it won’t activate to make the bread rise properly which could be a culprit. I hope that helps!

      Reply

  • Jan
    April 9, 2021

    Have made this twice already. Once without nuts as I did not have any and then the second time with walnuts. Both YUMM!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      April 9, 2021

      Thank you for sharing the outcome with both, Jan! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe!

      Reply

  • Johann Olivier
    April 8, 2021

    Best Banana Bread recipe I’ve so far tried and the second time I’m making it. I’ve cut down on the sugar by about a third and it was still sufficiently sweet. Also omitted the raisins as I’m not a fan. For now, this will definitely be my goto recipe!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      April 8, 2021

      Nice to know that you still loved the recipe with less sugar on it. Thank you for sharing that with us, so helpful!

      Reply

  • Shana
    April 7, 2021

    Hi Natasha, will it be okay to add cinnamon to the recipe? Or will it alter the taste?

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      April 8, 2021

      Hi Shana, I honestly haven’t tried that yet to advise. If you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes.

      Reply

  • Olga
    April 5, 2021

    This turned out great! I brought it to work to share and everyone loved it, and it disappeared quickly! Thank you for sharing this recipe!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      April 6, 2021

      Hi Olga, I’m glad it was a hit! Thank you for your awesome review and feedback.

      Reply

  • Victoria Jones
    April 4, 2021

    Absolutely a fabulous recipe. Very moist and delicious.

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      April 4, 2021

      I love it! Thanks for giving this recipe a great review, Victoria.

      Reply

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